Connect

This is the latest installment in our Connect article series “Hope at Work” — showcasing inspiring stories about how our team members contribute to UVA Health’s 10-year strategic plan: “One Future Together Health and Hope for All.” No matter where you work, you have an opportunity to inspire hope in others. These stories show how:

Maria “Mia” Campbell, RN, CCRN, Assistant Nurse Manager, Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU), UVA Health University Medical Center, moved from England to the United States at 15 — arriving alone and ambitious. Today, Mia and her daughter Katrina “Katie” Marquez, RN, BSN, Assistant Nurse Manager, Pediatric Acute Care Unit (PACU), work right next to each other on the seventh floor. Their shared passion for nursing has shaped their careers and personal lives.

A Dream Built From Scratch

Mia’s journey to nursing was far from traditional. After arriving in the United States as a teenager, she first worked with horses, then as a vet tech, and gradually moved toward nursing. "My passion was always medicine," she says. Mia built her career step by step: managing a doctor's office, working as a float nurse at another Charlottesville, Virginia hospital, and ultimately joining UVA Health, drawn to the PICU 20 years ago.

Mia (below, right) rose from a new graduate nurse in the PICU to Assistant Nurse Manager, welcoming a shift away from the emotional demands of bedside care. Her PICU is unique. Last year, the team care for about 18 pediatric heart transplants, plus liver and kidney recipients. “I enjoy supporting the team as they navigate challenging situations in the unit,” she explains.

Growing Up in the PICU

For Katie (above, left), nursing was woven into her childhood as she watched her mother’s dedication. Familiar faces from those days are now her colleagues. "I grew up in the PICU," she recalls.

Inspired by her mother’s path, Katie always intended to return to Charlottesville after earning her nursing degree at UVA Wise in 2016. Like Mia, she started as a new grad, progressed to charge nurse, and is now Assistant Nurse Manager on the same floor as the PICU, caring for patients as they move between units.

Different Floors, Complementary Strengths

Although Mia and Katie manage different units, they work closely. The PICU specializes in intensive care for critically ill children, while the PACU helps children continue their recovery. Because patients move between the two, Mia and Katie regularly coordinate as part of the leadership team — handling capacity, patient flow, and other day-to-day challenges. "It's helpful that Katie and I are close," Mia says. 

They acknowledge the work of both units requires resilience. Mia says she could not do what Katie does — caring for pediatric oncology patients where goodbyes are both joyous and heartbreaking. Katie has deep respect for PICU nurses, but always knew that role wasn’t for her. "You have to be a special, special person," she says, admiring her mother. Their mutual respect has only deepened over the years working together.

The Next Generation

Outside the hospital, the mother-daughter bond is just as strong. Mia and Katie enjoy Sunday breakfasts with the rest of the family and spend weekends cheering on Katie’s three kids (above) and Mia’s four other grandchildren at sports games. They’ve even taken up pickleball as a way to unwind together. 

This fall, both plan to start their master's degrees, marking another shared milestone. And their story may not end there, as Katie's eight-year-old daughter, Elyse (above), already says she wants to be a nurse like her mother and grandmother. Year after year, shows up to her school’s career days dressed as a UVA health nurse!

Happy Mother's Day — Year-Round!

When they’re together outside of work, Mia and Katie leave hospital concerns behind. Katie explains, “At work, we can bounce ideas off each other, but at home, she is my mom. We don't think about work!”

For Mia, a grandmother of seven (above) and a veteran of the halls Elyse hopes to walk someday, the feeling is simple: “I just feel totally blessed that I get to work with my daughter!”